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Penguin
October 1994
On Sale: October 1, 1994
112 pages
ISBN: 0140187391
EAN: 9780140187397
Paperback
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Fiction Classics
John Steinbeck's masterpiece celebrates the spirit and
courage of adolescence. Jody Tiflin has the urge for
rebellion, but he also wants to be loved. In THE RED PONY,
Jody begins to learn about adulthood - its pain, its
responsibilities and its problems - through his acceptance
of his father's gifts. First he is given a red pony, and
later he is promised the colt of a bay mare. Yet both of
these gifts bring him tragedy as well as joy, and Jody is
taught not only the harsh lessons of life and death, but
made painfully aware of the fallibility of adults.
Comments
34 comments posted.
Re: The Red Pony
Anything by Dickens helped me the most. Grapes of Wrath? I was depressed enough without that! But oh how I love Catcher in the Rye. It felt so wrong and yet so right. Sorta like a Beatles song.
(Leann Sweeney 1:45pm June 7, 2009)
In high school, from freshman year to senior year, we were given a list of books to read during the summer and we were tested on them when we returned. Back then, we didn't have book stores in the neighborhood or ordering online. We would go down to Barnes and Noble way down in NYC (I think 14th street; somewhere around there) and look for the books. Of course since that was the only place, they were sold out right away. I could hardly ever find the books; never cared for any of the titles, etc. Very bad choices; never even heard of the books! Back then you were never given a choice of -- you read what they told you. It would have been so much easier if we could have bought the books at the school! God forbid Catholic high school would have made it easier for you!!!! I hated the school and could not wait to graduate. But I always was a great reader and loved books. My favorite classics are Gone with the Wind and Louisa Alcott's Little Women and her others.
(Peg Fragale 3:58pm June 7, 2009)
Each summer I read something by Steinbeck, so it's funny you brought him up. So far, my favorite is East of
Eden. Loved it.
I've also read The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) a couple of times over the past 5 years - summer read as well.
It's a very quick read and I pick up on something new with each reading.
As for liking the classics while in school - I think it all depended on the teacher, how it was taught. (and I'm
a former teacher)
I read Pride & Prejudice for the first time a couple of years ago. Loved it. Will read it again.
Great topic!
(Mary Hundley 4:01pm June 7, 2009)
It's amazing that I love to read and presently have over 100 books on the TBR pile -- my children both hate to read! Isn't that something? I could never understand it, as by the time they were in school, choices were so very different. I always encouraged them, even now as adults with children of their own, but they still don't care to. But they do read to their children and encourage their children to read.
(Peg Fragale 4:01pm June 7, 2009)
I think The Great Gatsby was one of our required reads. I remember having to read Catcher in the Rye and we had to have parental permission before
we could do the book! When my oldest was in school I had to sign permission for him to read a certain book. I don't remember which one it was, but it
had something to do with the Viet Nam War, and the reason I had to sign was because of the deragtory language used in referring to the Vietnamese
People.
Peg...my kids don't like reading either. I think Brian my youngest is going to have to take a reading class next school year. It will be interesting to see
how it turns out.
(Sandi Shilhanek 4:26pm June 7, 2009)
In the 11th grade, I had combo classes that shared curriculum, AP History and English. We read books that corresponded with the unit we were covering in History. I enjoyed F Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Upton Sinclair (The Jungle - I'll never look at a hot dog the same way) and Steinbeck (had to read both Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath).
(Summer Sharp 4:53pm June 7, 2009)
I remember some of the required books that have stuck with me are; RED BADGE OF COURAGE, LITTLE WOMEN, some Edgar Allen Poe and Ernest Hemingway. I'm glad today that I've read alot of the classics, I don't know if the schools have the kids read these books anymore?
(Shauna George 4:56pm June 7, 2009)
High school was so long ago I forget completely what might have been required reading. I do know there were classics we had to read, but I have no idea which ones I might have read. That said, I was an avid reader & by high school had exhausted all children's books at our town library so they let me start checking out adult books! My teachers in school were pretty good about letting me read books off the list for book reports. I think I read Marjorie Morningstar at one time, have no idea what others I may have read. Classics I do remember reading (barely) were Black Beauty, Gone With The Wind, The Merchant of Venice (it was done in an English class). By then I was hooked on romance, mostly ones aimed at teens. They maybe kissed at the end of the book!!
Now I only want to read mostly HEA maybe a good suspense but still with a HEA!! Why do people want to read depressing books & then rave about how good they are?!!
Everyone have a good Sunday.
(Donna McClure 5:04pm June 7, 2009)
I don't recall many of my reading selections from High School, I know we read Catcher in the Rye and a few other classics but I don't recall enjoying them. Sad, I think the teacher was bored and that translated to me. It took me years to re-new my love of books that started in grammer school. In grammer school I bought enough books to help keep the publisher happy;-) Seems I've reverted back to those days in the last few years. LOL
(Gail Siuba 6:22pm June 7, 2009)
I remember reading some of them. I had to read Of Mice and Men, The Red Badge Of Courage. I know there were more but I can't remember which ones they were.I loved reading then as much as I do now so I did not mind having to read them.
(Julie Harper 6:53pm June 7, 2009)
The books that I read in High School that stay with me today are Catcher in the Rye, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula and Roots. I had an amazing English teacher. She had a system where we had to accumulate a number of points by the end of the year. It didn't really matter what you read (to a degree anyways - no comic books) but you had to read and either do a book report or an oral presentation to her about the book to prove your understanding. The number of points you got depended on the degree of difficulty for the book. If I remember correctly the goal was to get 100 points for the year. Something like that
(Erin Suitor 6:57pm June 7, 2009)
The classics I remember best are mostly the ones I choice to read myself. In grade school I loved The Iliad and the Odysey, all of the Louisa May Alcott books, The Jungle Book, The Call of the Wild, and so on.
Then in Jr High and on, at our most hormonal, they had us read some of the most depressing stuff! Why is that? It's a wonder we all didn't commit suicide. Where a Red Fern Grows, The Yearling, some Steinbeck, The Red Badge of Courage, Shakespeare and so on.
The worst was in college when I took a Russian Lit class because it was the only thing offered in the summer. Good Lord! were those people depressing!
The only ones I truly regret was the entire Russian Lit class, the others I'm glad I read. It's amaazing how many times a classic has come up in conversation or in a reference in some other book. At times, they've helped me to deal with my own life,like when a beloved pet died or one of my kids was going through a heartbreak.
(Janet Beckley 7:02pm June 7, 2009)
I have always been a avid reader so reading the classics in high school was not a problem for me. Funny you mention Steinbeck--he is my all time favorite author! However, I never read East of Eden until several years ago when Oprah chose it. I love that book and will read it again someday. In college I took all the lit courses I could. The one that was the most interesting was World Lit where we read a lot of stuff I probably would not have chosen on my own. I have to say I read Hemingway in high school and college and could never get into his work. I'm not sure what is required reading anymore in school. I think kids have more of a choice.
(Mary Perry 7:09pm June 7, 2009)
Two books come immediately to mind - "1984" and "Silas Marner". The first because I equate a lot of what has happened since 911 to what happens in society in "1984".
As to Silas Marner, I couldn't tell you why that book sticks to mind except perhaps I hate to think of anyone being alone regardless how miserly or mean they may be.
When I think back to the classics read in high school, they all have moral and ethical lessons to be learned. I'm glad I had to read them then, but even happier not to read them now :)
Tina
(Tina Sporer 7:11pm June 7, 2009)
Hmmm . . . I'm having a hard time remembering what was required reading since I was always an avid reader and was always reading something. I recall having to read The Witch of Blackbird Pond in, I believe, 6th grade. 1984 is another one I know I read but couldn't tell you a lot about it today. Oh, and Shakespeare - we had to read Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet. I enjoyed those plays so much I went on to take a mini-course on Shakespeare in my Junior year at high school.
My daughter was in Honors English this past year and one of the books she was required to read was The Kite Runner. She said it was very good and wanted me to read it but I couldn't get past the 1st chapter.
(Cheryl Strange 7:45pm June 7, 2009)
Continued reading the entire young adult section of the liabrary then ventured into the adult. I remember my tastes back then did not include science fiction or horror. Horizons are limitless now and as a voracious reader, sometimes I've gone over the 50 book (or $500) limit at the liabrary. Shakespeare plays, Flowers For Algernon and Lord of the Rings were popular along with the classics.
(Alyson Widen 8:09pm June 7, 2009)
I can't seem to remember what books were required reading in school. I do remember passing around a copy of Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews. Later I went on a Steven King kick and read everything of his I could get my hands on, beginning with Christine.
(Cindy Boucher 8:21pm June 7, 2009)
I've had to read some of the books you listed while in school and I hated them. Because of that I have no interesting in ever reading them ever again. Sounds harsh but that's the way I feel.
(Debbie Beverley 8:24pm June 7, 2009)
By the time I was in the fifth grade, I was reading at college level, so I was in a special class for advanced students. So, with me, reading was the opposite. I missed the classic books girls my age read. At home, I read Nancy Drew with a vengeance. When I went to college, however, some of the books I should have read in grade school became required reading for some of the history courses, such as the Little House books. That's when I finally read the books I missed out on as a child and I so enjoyed them! What wonderful reading and I'm so glad I finally had the opportunity!
(LuAnn Morgan 8:34pm June 7, 2009)
I can't remember even one of the books we had to read but I still tried to encourage my kids to read them when it was their turn; my son actually loved the classics and remembers them well; my daughter on the other hand could not have cared less. Both my kids are avid readers but completely different styles as am I
(Diane Sadler 10:18pm June 7, 2009)
Read THE OUTSIDERS. Not sure why,
but never remember having to read
many of the classics. Did read BRAVE
NEW WORLD and 1984. Started WAR
AND PEACE at least 4 times and never
could get past page 100 or so.
(Patricia Barraclough 11:00pm June 7, 2009)
I've never read Pride and Prejudice, and I can't say as I have any plans to ever read it, either. The only one of the other required reading that was mentioned that I've actually read was Little Women. In high school we were forced to read Shakespeare: Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar. . . I hated all of them. My mother was required to read Jane Eyre, and she hated it. I read it after I was out of school, and loved it.
One of my daughters is an avid reader, one is a so-so reader, and the other three kids wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near a book. In the school where 3 of my grandchildren go they have reading contests, and the student in each grade who reads the most books gets a prize at the end of the year. I think all 3 of my "kids" have gotten the prize every year since they started the contest.
I'm in a group now where I review new books for authors who request it. I do have the option of turning the books down if they're of a line I don't think I would enjoy, but I must say I've enjoyed every single one I've received so far.
Sandi, I'm tickled pink that I actually got this message today, instead of in my junk box tomorrow. Did you do something differently? Or have my junk box guys finally decided that as I keep moving it into my inbox I must want it? Now I probably jinxed it by mentioning it. . .
(Donna Breitkreuz 11:02pm June 7, 2009)
During my Junior year of high school English I read lots of American literature and I chose Steinbeck's The Pearl (probably because it was such a thin book). It's a story that has stayed with me to this day.
I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time a couple of years ago for a book club selection and really enjoyed it. It's something I'll probably read again.
(Jill Hayden 11:48pm June 7, 2009)
LOL 7th grade was the year that we doing reading assignments. I moved that year, in my old school we had not started yet, and in my new school they had already done the reading assignments. So, as much as I loved reading, I had to wait till 10th grade American literature. I started with Of Mice and Men.... and read the whole Steinbeck collection, exception Grapes of Wrath. Opps.... although your article makes me think of going back and reading it now. Some of the other classics I read and enjoyed were Louisa May Alcott, Black Beauty, and several others. Now, as I have a kindle and books are cheaper... I am starting to look back into a lot of the old classics again. :)
(Melissa Tackett 4:33am June 8, 2009)
All these comments have been so interesting! I wonder why Alcott was never required reading in my lessons? If she had been maybe I would have actually read
Little Women. I didn't read Nancy Drew or Little House either. However, I introduced one of my students to the Little House books and she couldn't get enough.
She read them all, and then turned around and read them again. Her mom finally had to buy her her own set!
Reading all these comments reminds me of books I read and had forgotten about!
As I pass the required reading table today I do feel as though reading has changed since I was in school...but is that better or are the children of today totally
missing out on the classics?
(Sandi Shilhanek 6:00am June 8, 2009)
High School was sooooo long ago that I can't remember what I read (other than Shakespear). But I do know that I read anything and everything with no favorites. My daughter has introduced me to The Kite Flyer, Lovely BOnes, and others like that because she thinks I read too much 'easy' fiction (her word). I asked her to read some of my 'easy' fiction to see how good they are, but she says that she doesn't have time!
(Karin Tillotson 6:54am June 8, 2009)
I had a great English teacher in H.S. I wish I could remember his name. His assignment was to 5 titles in 5 different genres- totally our choice. I don't remember everything I picked, but I remember Dune, Stranger in a Strange Land, Ellery Queen, and The Cross and the Switchblade. I wouldn't have picked those on my own and it opened up a whole new world for me. I think that was such a better idea then just assighning the classics.
(Cheri Thorn 1:54pm June 8, 2009)
Sandi, I still remember learning the word "putrid" from the Red Pony in 7th grade; it ruined my lunch! Also hated Fahrenheit 451 in 7th. Maybe I was just too young. In 10th we had American lit. and I enjoyed "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and hated Faulkner ("my mother smelled like a fish.") 11th grade was Brit. lit. and we had to read the most boring of Thomas Hardy's novels - an hour to read 10 pages and it was a 300 page book. I can't remember the title, but I loved "Tess" and "Far from the Madding Crowd". I also loved Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights (after the first seven chapters lol.) My mother always bragged about reading all 100 "Classics" by the time she graduated (1932). Personally I found some interesting and others boring and still do.
(Ilene Pedersen 3:32pm June 8, 2009)
Pitifully, I can't remember many of the books I "had" to read in high school. I do remember 1984 and thought it was creepy, read the Janis Joplin story and found it absolutely heartbreaking - it also gave me an appreciation for her music that I've passed on to one of my daughters.
Interesting subject, Sandi - as always!
(Laurie Damron 8:27pm June 8, 2009)
The books I enjoyed were "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens and "Rebecca" by Daphne DeMaurier. I did not enjoy any of the other books that were assigned as our English teachers were under an impression that in order for a book to be deemed a "classic", it must be angst ridden, tragic, and the characters must die or be maimed. HEA "ruined" a book's credibility, allegedly. Yecch.
(Mari M. 2:34pm June 9, 2009)
My favorite book in HS was Anna Karenina. I loved that story. I have it on my TBR pile.
My sons dislike reading - older one just read Julius Caeser and the teacher had these neat books, one side was lay-man terms, the other side was the original writing. He loathed Romeo and Juliet last year. Glad that's over with!
(Margaret Dombrowski 3:43pm June 9, 2009)
When I was in school I never was forced to do book reports due to the fact I was in special education(slow learner) so if I had to do any reading it was for pleasure.
(Maggie Roso 12:47pm June 11, 2009)
I have read as long as I can
remember, and most of the
required reading for English
sucked. The fact that it was
required also seem to mean it
was dull(IMHO).I recall my
junior English teacher
allowing us to read almost
anything for extra credit as
long as we read the required
stuff and made "good" grades
on those papers. I can
remember reading a lot of
Stephen King and romance in
her class.
(Lisa Richards 11:56am November 2, 2009)
I completely agree about The Red Pony - I've read both the short and the long versions and it would put any young person off both reading and horses. My Friend Flicka is much better both for reading and as a horse story. I read a few more Steinbecks incl. Of Mice and Men, my favourite however is Travels With Charley non-fiction.
I've never read the Russian novels, depressing and cold would tally with my impressions of them. Same with Dickens - read a few excerpts. But I do watch these on TV so I pick up the storylines and period - Crime and Punishment and Oliver Twist most recently. Read Robinson Crusoe, Black Beauty, Alice x 2 growing up.
(Clare O'Beara 6:22am October 16, 2012)
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